{TV server} PowerScheduler: some questions (1 Viewer)

[rivera]

MediaPortal Version: 1.1.RC2
MediaPortal Skin: Blue-3
Windows Version: WinXP-SP3
CPU Type: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz
HDD: WD 1000Gb
Memory: 2x1024 DDR2
Motherboard: ASUS P5K premium
Video Card: ASUS EN9600GT Silent/HTDI 512
Video Card Driver: 196.21
Sound Card: internal
MPEG2 Video Codec: Cyberlink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD 8)
MPEG2 Audio Codec: ffdshow
h.264 Video Codec: MPC decoder
HTPC Case: Silverstone CW03
Power Supply: Corsair VX450W
Remote: Soundgraph
TV: Pioneer PDP-5080XA
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI-HDMI


Suppose, in PowerScheduler settings it is specified:
- shutdown server after being idle = 5 min
- pre-no-shutdown time in seconds = 120 sec

So, in what time a shutdown is supposed to be started - in 5 minutes or in 7 minutes ?
According the the Wiki:

Pre-no-shutdown time in seconds
# Sets the time-span in seconds the PC won't shutdown if an event lays within.#

Check interval in seconds
#Sets the interval in seconds PowerScheduler will check the status-handlers.#

So, I am completely lost with these 3 params . Can anybody explain me them ?


Next, I checked "Network Monitor -> Prevent standby based on network activity".
But I am not sure about "Minimum transfer rate considered as network activity in KB/s".
By default it is 2KB/s.
Which value should I select to track the events:
- somebody in remote host opened some shared folder of HTPC
- somebody in remote host is watching movie stored in HTPC

In "tv.log" file I can see lines like:

2010-05-18 06:09:29.562500 [Powerscheduler Timer(12)]: NetworkMonitorHandler: idle limit in KB/s: 1024

Does it mean that a limit=1024KB/sec is exceeded?

 

[RobNorthcott]

The "shut down server after being idle" time (5 minutes) is the length of time MP must be left idle on the main menu before it shuts the machine down.

The "pre-no-shutdown" time (120 sec in your example) is to stop it shutting down just before a recording is due. If MP has been left idle for 5 minutes and is about to shut down, it checks to see if any recordings are going to happen in the next 120 seconds (the pre-no-shutdown time) and will not shut down if it finds any. It is just to stop the machine shutting down then coming straight back on again immediately.

So to answer your "5 or 7 minutes" question... it will shut down after 5 minutes idle UNLESS there is a recording due to start in the next 2 minutes.

I'm not sure about the network settings, I haven't fiddled with those (my installation is single-seat).

Rob

 

[rivera]

So, it is clear with:
- shutdown server after being idle = 5 min
- pre-no-shutdown time in seconds = 120 sec
Thanks .

But what about:

Check interval in seconds
#Sets the interval in seconds PowerScheduler will check the status-handlers.#

I'm not sure about the network settings, I haven't fiddled with those (my installation is single-seat).

I also have signle-seat.
I thought that network activity is estimated for overall traffic, not only for TvServer service.

 

[RobNorthcott]

But what about:

Check interval in seconds
#Sets the interval in seconds PowerScheduler will check the status-handlers.#

I assume that is how often the PowerScheduler checks to see if it needs to shut down. If it was set to shut down after 5 minutes of idle, but only checking every 10 minutes then it would be likely to stay on for more than 5 minutes before noticing that it needed to shut down. If it was checking too often then it would presumably use more resources. I haven't changed the setting on my setup and it's working fine (whatever the default is).

I also have signle-seat.
I thought that network activity is estimated for overall traffic, not only for TvServer service.

Somebody else will have to explain that - I'm not sure what it does.

Rob

 

[rivera]

OK, thank you for feedback

 

[arion_p]

Next, I checked "Network Monitor -> Prevent standby based on network activity".
But I am not sure about "Minimum transfer rate considered as network activity in KB/s".
By default it is 2KB/s.
Which value should I select to track the events:
- somebody in remote host opened some shared folder of HTPC
- somebody in remote host is watching movie stored in HTPC

In "tv.log" file I can see lines like:

2010-05-18 06:09:29.562500 [Powerscheduler Timer(12)]: NetworkMonitorHandler: idle limit in KB/s: 1024

Does it mean that a limit=1024KB/sec is exceeded?

Network Monitor will monitor all network activity on all interfaces. If the average traffic (over a 60 second period) on any interface exceeds the limit set, the system is considered busy and won't suspend. IIRC if the limit is exceeded, the timer will be reset, so system will not suspend immediately after traffic falls under set limit.

But note that PowerScheduler will not suspend the system if any of the following is true:

1. Any remote system has open files on the server (regardless if it is running MP or not). Even WMP will prevent the server from suspending
2. Any recording is active or due.
3. Any MP client (with PowerScheduler client plugin enabled) is active (not necessarily watching video/live tv)
4. Any remote system is consuming a video stream (live tv or recording). E.g. VLC attached to live tv stream
5. Any EPG grabbing component is active and is configured to prevent standby. This includes DVB EPG, XmlTv, WebEPG, TVMovie (ClickFinder).

So to answer your question:
- somebody in remote host opened some shared folder of HTPC
Normally having a share open on a remote system (i.e. having it open in explorer) does not induce any traffic and does not keep any files open. So it is impossible to track this activity. If on the other hand you are browsing a share (meaning you are moving from folder to folder) you are causing network traffic that can be detected. To configure the limit, open Task Manager and go to the Network tab. Monitor for a while the network activity to see the maximum value any interface can reach while system is otherwise idle. Use that value plus a safety margin (I'd say around 30%) as the limit in Network Monitor
- somebody in remote host is watching movie stored in HTPC
Watching a movie means a file needs to be kept open so no need to configure anything. Watching a recording also consumes a stream, so again you don't need to configure anything.

 

[rivera]

Any MP client (with PowerScheduler client plugin enabled) is active (not necessarily watching video/live tv)

My system is turned to suspend even when MediaPortal is ON in BasicHome (with no media playback). Is it a proper behaviour?
But I have not enabled Client's PowerScheduler, should I do it?

To configure the limit, open Task Manager and go to the Network tab. Monitor for a while the network activity to see the maximum value any interface can reach while system is otherwise idle. Use that value plus a safety margin (I'd say around 30%) as the limit in Network Monitor

Thank you for proposal, I will check it.

 

[arion_p]

Any MP client (with PowerScheduler client plugin enabled) is active (not necessarily watching video/live tv)

My system is turned to suspend even when MediaPortal is ON in BasicHome (with no media playback). Is it a proper behaviour?
But I have not enabled Client's PowerScheduler, should I do it?

Yes, if you have not enabled the Client's PowerScheduler plugin it is normal that the server goes to suspend even with a client connected. You need the Client PowerScheduler plugin to tell the server that the client is alive. If you do not want the client to suspend automatically, you can simply not check "Shutdown client after being idle for ...".

 

[Dragy]

I also have a question. I'm using a Single Seat setup.
Is is needed to have both client and TVservice PowerScheduler plugins activated? Now I only have the TVservice PS activated

 

[arion_p]

Yes, you need both, otherwise TVService does not know if MediaPortal is busy or not (eg playing music) and will put the system to sleep.